Clutching
by samybear
Summary: In the midst of a war, a letter is read


She sat there and stared at the piece of parchment in front of her. It just sat there, blank, empty of any inspiration. She had nothing to say, what could she say after the letter she had just received from him. 

He couldn't be serious about something like this, he just couldn't! Not that it was out of character, this was definitely something Harry would do. 

_God damn him! _At first she had just been filled with rage, and hate. They had coursed through her body as she had very calmly gone through her flat and broken every plate, glass, cup, saucer, bowl, jug, vase, anything breakable. She'd even ripped her towels to shreds. When that feeling had passed she burst into tears. Still sobbing she proceeded to put her mess back together with magic. It was only after counting to ten and then back down to one, did she manage not to go back and re-break it all. 

Sometimes she felt as though Harry thought she was completely unaware of the world around her, as though she lived in some sort of vacuum! She was not an idiot; she was one of the leading Medi-witches in England, a title she had earned by being at the fore-front of the war. She had worked in the same hospital where many of her friends and even one of her brothers had died. 

She understood it was his wish, as well as her family's wish to protect her, but it was illogical. No one would escape the ravages of this war. The wizarding world had drawn its line in the sand, and everyone had chosen sides. Families, even her own, had been divided by these choices. The loss of Percy was painful to them all, but if they were honest, they had lost him a long time ago, longer than any of them had known. She could still see him lying in that cot. She'd been told earlier that he was mortally wounded; no amount of wizarding medicine could save him. She had looked down on him, the Dark Mark burning brightly, his soft moans of pain even with the medicine doing everything it could to make him comfortable. The sound of her mother sobbing …

The pain that swept over her was just as intense now as it had been then, the angry, helpless tears that still plagued her most nights.

"Damn you Percy for hurting Us, Damn you Harry, damn this whole bloody war!" she railed to the silence. Why did Harry think _she_ would be untouched by this war? _He doesn't _a small part of her mind said. She sighed, knowing that it was true, Harry was just scared. Determined to have no attachments, to emotionally cut himself off from anyone who he thought would be hurt by his death.

He'd never been very good at expressing his emotions, unable to be anything other than stoic in the face of danger. All his emotions were kept bottled tightly inside, even though his up-set was clear as day on his face, and in his eyes; he'd denied it. 

They had started dating her first summer after graduation. Even then it had not been passionate, no declaration of longstanding affection. Just the simple act of a movie and dinner, a Quidditch game, and of course the sex. It could be said that Ginny hung on for the sex. While everything else was very normal, almost bland, the sex was quite the opposite. When they were in bed together it was as though Harry were at mass, worshipping her body. The first time they'd _made love _she'd been amazed, almost shocked by it. Ginny blushed slightly at the thought. 

Thinking about making love to Harry brought another round of tears. _Damn him! _Damn Mr. Harry Potter, the hero of the times who'd held her heart since the first time she'd seen him, standing on the platform. Not that she hadn't gotten lots of attention from the other boys at Hogwart's, but most of them were scared off by her brother's or ended up her friends. Seamus had tried the hardest really, to pull her attentions away from Harry Potter. 

Poor Seamus, his recovery was going to be long and painful. Thank the gods that Harry, Ron, Neville and Hermione were still uninjured. Luna was gone too, beautiful, wistful Luna. Luna who understood Ginny and her fear like no one else, not even her brothers. Another single, tear slid slowly, down her face. Another silent tear for the silencing of her best friend.

"I feel like all I ever do anymore is cry, all anyone does anymore is cry!" Her anger now spent, Ginny once again felt helpless and defeated. The piece of parchment still sat on the table, now dotted with the satins of her tears. 

There was no longer anyone she could contact to help her through this. No one was objective anymore. She sighed, _I guess I could leave the letter unanswered _she'd quickly pushed that thought out of her mind. Quickly and furiously she began to write:

_Dear Harry,_

_            No! No I will not accept your withdrawal of affections as necessary, because it is not! It is not! I have stood in my hospital and watched my Death Eater of an older brother die, watched as my parent's hearts shattered into a million pieces because of it. I have watched as many of my friends, and many of my peers have died, and so many more struggle with difficult recoveries. I am not naïve to the consequences of the violence this war has forced on all of us. Even more so, I am everyday surrounded by the forces of Dark Arts magic. It drains me, makes me feel weak, even ill. Every time a battle begins, when His inner circle is called, they call me. He is as much a part of you as he is of me, I can still feel him. He is attached to my destiny now. I know you too feel it when he calls. I will not allow Voldemort to win this war without a fight. We both fight, albeit in different theatres, and will continue our fight until we no longer feel his calls. _

She signed it. Exhausted, Ginny had lost her capacity to sleep within the first few months of the war. Instead of contemplating bed, where she knew she should be, Ginny determined to deliver the letter in person. Slipping the piece of parchment into the pocket of her robe and tossing her cloak around her shoulders, Ginny tossed some floo into the fireplace and grabbed the special portkey before stepping in and saying "Hogwart's." She landed with a small thud in the hospital tower of Hogwart's, the school now containing the battle headquarters of Harry Potter and his troops.

Ginny knew where she'd find him. All the students had been sent to America at the out-break of the war, no place in Europe being safe. As she walked down the drafty corridors of the castle Ginny could hear moans of pain, quiet voices cry out in the night, and couples in the throws of desperate passion. Those noises did nothing to lift her mood. 

There were people in Harry's "war room" the former office of Albus Dumbledore. She recognized the voices of Harry's Generals: her five remaining brothers, Neville and much to her surprise, someone who sounded like Draco Malfoy. The others were shushed by Harry as the one who sounded like Malfoy began to speak. She couldn't quite make out the words, but he was talking very quickly. Two wizards in uniform, neither of whom she recognized, stood outside the door.

Ginny flashed them her clearance card when they began to protest her appearance outside the office of The Commander and Chief. 

"I am sorry Ms. Weasley, you still can not go in there. I'll have to ask you to wait out here until the meeting is finished." Ginny sighed unhappily.

"Fine," she said curtly, crossing her arms and leaning back against the cool stone.

"They may be all night Ma'am," the other guard said.

"Then I'll just have to wait here all night won't I." her voice angrier than she's meant it to be. They were right and she knew it, Ginny Weasley, no matter that her brothers and her lover were inside that office, had no right to be a part of the meeting. She jumped when she heard Ron's raised voice, followed quickly by a biting remark that could only have come from Malfoy, _damn that man_! 

The letter was burning a hole in her pocket, she waited, growing more and more agitated as the conversation level rose and fell a few more times before people began leaving the war room. Ginny pressed herself further into the shadows so as not to be seen by her family and friends, they didn't need to worry about her relationship with Harry. It was one of the bright spots for her family that was still left. As Ron left last, surprisingly deep in conversation with none other than Draco Malfoy, she smiled, she had been right. She stepped cautiously out of the shadows, one of the guards had stepped inside to announce her presences, he came out and she passed him with his curt nod of consent. 

"Hullo Harry," she said softly, looking to where he stood in front of the large fireplace. He looked worn, dark circles evident even from where Ginny stood at the other side of the large room. He was tense through the shoulders, his robes still dirty from being out in the midst of yesterday's attack. 

"Why are you here Ginny," he asked tiredly. 

"I got your letter Harry."

"I know. Why are you here? I thought I was very explicit in my letter that you weren't to come back here again." His voice was cold, and it stung her like a winter frost.

"Then why did you let me in?" she was again quiet but unmoving, waiting for him to tell her to leave.

He sighed, the look on his face said he wanted her here, no matter what his voice said, no matter all the logical reasons for her not to be there.

 _There's your answer Harry Potter, I'm here because I know that when you explicitly send me a letter saying I'm not to come, it's only because you want me here. Never could stand your own weaknesses._ Ginny had always known Harry hated any weakness in himself. Affection for anyone was weakness to him, after Sirius' death he'd given up almost entirely on the idea of companionship, and after Dumbledore's tragic death, Harry had completely withdrawn public displays of emotions. As far as his "troops" knew, Harry Potter didn't need anyone or anything, not even food. It broke her heart to know that he felt himself alone in this world, and alone in this battle, when she along with many others were standing right beside him every step of the way, waiting for him to need catching. 

He turned from the fire and sat down in the chair very near it, he sighed again, a look of inner torment flashing quickly across it. Ginny crossed the room to him quickly, silently going to her knees in front of him. He didn't look up, and she didn't touch him, knowing too well that he would flinch under her touch, and not wanting to feel her heart break a little more. Finally, and silently, he reached out to her, pulling her from the floor into his arms and onto his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. They sat like that for a long while, Ginny wasn't really sure how long, could have been hours, or only a few minutes. He didn't speak, not a word, nor did he cry, he just held her, his grip almost painful, and breathing slowly. The longer they sat there, the shallower his breathing got, and then with a fierce noise it went ragged. She was startled out of her quiet reverie by that noise. 

"What?" she asked quietly, trying to shift in his arms to look into his eyes.

"Don't move!" he said in a fiercely strained voice, his breathing even more ragged. After a few more, quick, deep gulps of air Harry picked her up and marched her into the part of his office that served as his quarters.

************************************

Ginny woke as she did every morning at seven am. No earlier, and no latter, and she was fully awake. She smiled, remembering last night's passions, Harry sound asleep curled around her, clutching her desperately. She also remembered waking with a start as he'd called out to someone in his sleep, tossing, and reaching out to cling to her more forcefully. Now, as always, the bed was vacant of him. His scent still clung to the air, mingled with hers, but the warmth of his body was missing. Ginny swung her legs on to the edge of the bed and tenderly placed her feet on the stone floor. She shivered at the contact and walked quickly, and totally nude across the room to where she knew a night gown and sash were kept.

He sat, clad in just pajama pants, in the chair in front of the fire, his hair mussed up, and Ginny's letter sitting in his lap. _Oh shit _she thought and tried to judge what he was going to say about the letter. 

"Good morning," Ginny said quietly, leaning on the door frame as casually as she could muster. Harry barely looked up at her, a small frown on his face.

"you want some coffee before you go?' he asked her curtly, before adding "you really should put some proper clothes on," with a nod towards the guards at the door.

"Sod them and sod you too," Ginny said as she stalked to the coffee cart where the coffee poured itself. She glared into her coffee, until she realized it was the same look Harry was giving the fire. "So you read the letter." Ginny said flatly, not even questioning how he'd found it.

"Well yes," Harry agreed softly.

"And?" He just glared even harder at the fire. Ginny knew that look too well, it meant Harry didn't want to talk about last night, the letter, or it's implications, so he wasn't going to. 

"Fine," She said coldly, not looking at him either. She silently cursed herself for going there last night. 

"Ginny," Harry still didn't look up, but he called her name softly. "Ginny, I'm so sorry luv." He choked out the last half, and finally looked at her fully. He stood up and walked to her, wrapping her in his arms again, and kissed her cheek before pulling away and shutting the bathroom door. She heard him turn on the tap; it squeaked and was followed by the distinct sound of rushing water. She sighed inwardly, knowing this would not be the end last she heard of the letter.

                                    *********************************

She was taking a break from her patients, as there was no one fresh from the field yet, although Ginny was sure that would last only a few hours. She was watching the hustle and bustle of the castle, the movement of supplies, the training of newly recruited troops, all from the vantage point of the hospital tower. She started quickly at the sound of her name. Hermione stood behind her, dressed in a muggle suit, obviously having just come from a meeting with their, _damn what does she always call that guy, Prime minister! _

"Blimey Mione! You scared me," she chided with a smile for the older woman. 

"Well maybe you should learn not to drift off into your thoughts like that, you really can't afford to be off-guard nowadays." Hermione sat down on the sill beside her with a sigh of obvious exhaustion. "And you shouldn't use the word blimey either, it doesn't become a lady." Ginny stuck her tongue out at that comment, earning a smile from her friend. 

She looked Hermione over critically and noticed her continued weight loss, the darkening circles under the eyes, and the tenseness that ran through every muscle of her friend's body. 

"You're not taking the sleeping potion I gave you," it was a statement of fact, not a reproach. "'Mione you have got to! You have to eat a full meal and then drink the potion right before bed; if you don't start soon I'm going to have to detain you here for exhaustion. I'm serious!" Ginny was trying to keep her temper in check, but fear for her friend's health nagged at her tenuous hold. The last thing she needed was to deal with Hermione collapsing suddenly from something totally preventable. She softened her tone when Hermione looked properly sheepish, "I know you're under a lot of pressure from Harry and my brothers, but don't work yourself into the ground. You want to enjoy what life will be like after this is over, don't you?"

"Yes," Hermione sighed softly. "I also wanted to talk to you about …um, well … Harry." 

Ginny was stunned by this.

"You do? What on earth about?" Ginny wondered if Harry had shown Hermione the letter, _oh you bastard! She thought quickly biting into her lower lip to gain control over her flaring temper. He wouldn't dare send Hermione to do his dirty work, to make Hermione suggest that Ginny and Harry take a break in their relationship. _

"Well, just that you're both under a lot of pressure now, pressure and pain." Hermione looked softly at Ginny, she knew Hermione was remembering all the nights they'd spent in school and at the Burrow, when Ron or Hermione herself had come running at the sounds of Ginny screaming in the night. Ginny too remembered when Harry began to have night terrors. "I know you both feel his presence, that it causes you great pain to go to work everyday, just as it does him. He needs you Ginny; don't ever let him tell you otherwise." 

_I need him too. _Ginny smiled softly at her friend, and wondered at Hermione's perception. She'd always known Hermione to be smart and wonderful, and it was no surprise when Harry had made her his liaison officer with the muggle world, but it still made everyone chuckle when Hermione told you something you thought no one else knew. 

"What about yourself Hermione? Who keeps your night terrors away?" Ginny asked softly, not wanting to hurt the older woman's feelings, but needing to know. It had been too long since Ginny had seen Hermione and Ron whisper quietly together in front of a fire, or sneak away when they thought no one was looking. _Far too long.__ Ginny knew that Hermione had also kept close to Professor Snape, that he had come to Hermione after Dumbledore's death to reveal himself as totally trust worthy. Ginny didn't know whether Snape was still alive anymore, but from the look on her friends face, she highly doubted it. _

"No one ever chased mine away, I'm perfectly able to take care of myself." Hermione snapped, startling Ginny. The other woman quickly got up and walked away, towards the stairs, where Ginny knew she would head to Harry's office.

                                    ******************************

Ginny was walking back from the rehabilitation center, in the lower part of the hospital tower. She'd just spent a very frustrating four hours with Seamus Finnegan. He had a badly broken, to the point of shattered right leg and hip. This although "Skele-grow" was a very helpful, although painful tool, was not easy to recover from. This was made even more difficult by the fact that Seamus was not fully recovered mentally. He still suffered from dementia, and Ginny was only forcing the physical therapy on him now because it was necessary for improvement in his mental state as well. If he could walk, then he could get out and about, stop lying in bed dreaming about Death Eaters. It was moments like this one that made Ginny hate being a medi-witch, when even with all her magic, she could not heal her patients mind. 

"Ginny, hold up, will you!" Neville called out. She turned around and almost into him. She smiled warmly at him, the sweetest man she'd ever met. 

"Sorry, didn't mean to make you chase after me like that," Ginny laughed as Neville huffed and puffed from the minor exertion. Sometimes she still wondered how Neville had ever managed to become the powerful wizard he now was. He said it was Hermione's and Harry's belief in him, their constant encouragement in his ability, and Ginny's companionship as they moved up the years in Hogwart's. Ginny thought it was his own inner strength. 

"No worries, you're worth being chased after luv, trust me." He winked at her obscenely, and made her giggle at him. "I just wanted to up-date you on the logistics of the next major planned attack. We know when and where they plan to strike next, it will be your brother and the Unspeakables, backed up by myself and your crazy brother Charlie. You might want to be near by for the next couple of nights, stay here instead of in London." She scrunched her face at him in obvious distaste. "Oh come off it Ginny, we all know you spend most nights here anyway, just move some stuff here. You'll be being woken in the middle of the night I expect. Gred and Forge have some pretty tight security planned for that night, won't be able to get back here in any kind of hurry. Just thought you'd want to be informed." Ginny smiled fondly at the twins nick names.

"Thank you Neville, you're the only one who ever lets me in on this kind of information. Harry doesn't see me as in the loop on any operation." Again Ginny smiled, this time more faintly. It really irked her that logistically _no one but Neville saw her as important, or having any role__ in this damned war. _

                                    ********************************

She sat very still in front of the fire place in Harry's office. She knew that if she listened hard enough she could hear the battle, it was close by. She didn't know what the battle plan was, having gotten no more out of Neville and absolutely nothing from anyone else. The men in her life were determined that war was not a woman's concern. Ginny begged to differ, as did most of the witches she knew. It was her men out there, not just Harry, but her brothers, her father, everyone she'd ever cared about, save Hermione and her mum. But no, war didn't concern women folk, it wasn't proper for them to know what was going on. Harry had the mentality of not sharing information until the absolute last moment and only to those who had need to know. _Blast him! The bloody bastard has never had to sit inside this castle and wait for his heart to come home. He's never experienced the fear in the pit of his stomach as he stood in the hospital wing waiting for one of the patients to be me, or Ron. God I'm going to die from waiting! _

"Gin," someone startled her. It seemed today was the day that everyone was sneaking up on her. She turned to find Hermione walking towards her. "Ginny, you're crying! Why what's happened, please tell me I haven't missed anything, oh gods is it Harry?" the other girl was rushing towards her a frantic look on her face, and all Ginny could do was smile ironically.

"Not that I know of 'Mione. No one from upstairs has contacted me, I told them I'd be here. I just got sick of waiting up in that damn tower, listening to all those sick and hurt men, men I know, many of them I played Quidditch with. And I am helpless to heal much of what ails them; I can re-grow someone's arm, but not their minds." Ginny felt tired again, so damn tired. 

"Oh Ginny, don't do this to yourself. You're a good medi-witch, the best we've got. You do your job with compassion, but you can't fix everything. I've never seen your work get the better of you like this, not even when it was … Percy." Hermione looked almost sick when she said his name, whether it was because of her brother's betrayal or because she was worried about Ginny, Ginny wasn't sure. 

They were both crying, having moved to the carpet by the hearth during the progress of their conversation. The fire casting shadows across both their faces, Ginny thought she saw pain in Hermione's eyes when she looked quickly into the fire. 

"I just have this fear that one day I'll walk into the hospital wing and find Harry strapped to a bed, and I won't be able to help him. We left on bad terms this morning-" she stopped, a sob choked out of her. "We've been leaving on bad terms for months now; I don't know why it bothers me so much tonight." Hermione smiled softly at her, a sad understanding on her face.

"You're not sure if you'll see him again. We both know the fighting hasn't been this bad since the outbreak of the war. We're also used to being out there with our boys, covering their asses-" she paused too holding on to her emotions, it startled Ginny when she realized her friend was crying. "Neither of us is very good at waiting, our fates and theirs have always been intertwined. God Ginny what will we do if they don't come back?"

_You fool! Here you are moaning about Harry and your brothers thinking you're all alone in your suffering. Poor Hermione has just as much to lose as you do. _

"I'm so sorry 'Mione, I'm so selfish sometimes-" she was interrupted by Hermione's hand on her arm. 

"It's ok Gin, I don't think you're selfish." 

"There's more to what you're saying isn't there 'Mione? Those tears aren't for Ron and Harry." Ginny didn't know why she'd just said that, just feeling that Hermione wouldn't tell her unless pressed, but that there was something more on her mind. 

"Yes, I guess there is. I am worried about Harry and Ron, they're my best friends, have been since we were eleven years old. Sometimes I think my life would cease to have meaning if they weren't around but you're correct, they're not the only ones out there I worry about." Hermione looked into the fire, a twisted smile on her lips. It made Ginny look sharply at her friend, not being used to such an expression on the other girl's face. 

"I have noticed that you and Ron aren't as close as you used to?" it was a question that had been picking at Ginny's brain for weeks, maybe longer. It had started when Ginny noticed that Hermione would step out of Ron's touch, rather than into it and that she'd rather sit by herself in a chair and read than cuddle in front of the hearth. Not wanting to seem nosey Ginny had not asked any questions. 

"No we aren't. I don't know what we are anymore. I mean I still love your brother, really I do, it's just … I don't feel like that for him exclusively anymore." Hermione sighed, obviously frustrated at her own lack of understanding. Hermione was a smart girl, a genius, except when it came to her personal life. It had taken her and Ron until seventh year to figure out they liked each other. Even though everyone around them had figured it out in third, and it took the slow ones until fourth year. Once they'd figure it out, the Weasley's were sure that they'd get married. Harry had even joked with Ginny once that there would probably be a new family member before graduation if they didn't start being more careful. That kind of talk ended when the war started, and Snape's revelation to Hermione had made for a turning point in the war and for the Trio. 

They hadn't fractioned, just grown up and come to some new conclusions. Harry and Ron had never warmed up to Snape, not the way they appeared to be warming up to Draco. Ginny had never been sure if that had been a childish reproach for being so mean in school, or because Hermione warmed up to him quite quickly. Snape had trusted Hermione, that had to say something, and he'd continued to trust her until he'd disappeared for the final time. Ginny knew that no one had heard from him since Christmas, it was now, _it couldn't be, _February. 

"He'll come back," Ginny's heart broke at the look on Hermione's face, the pain that rushed across it, distorting her dark eyes and twisting her soft mouth into a grimace. The unshed tears remained in Hermione's eyes, making them look unnaturally glassy, glinting in the fire light, as a single tear dripped when she blinked. It left a trail as it slid down her face, and landed on Ginny's hand. They had moved closer together, and Ginny pulled Hermione into a tight hug, both needing the comfort. 

She and Hermione sat there for a long time, many hours, listening conversely to the sound of the fire and the fighting beyond their sight, but not beyond their ears or imagination. It was then that Harry came in to his sitting room, covered in dirt, black soot and blood. Ginny had been drifting in and out of a half sleep-like state, and knew Hermione had been doing something fairly similar. Harry stopped and looked at the two women in his life, he looked tired, and in pain. 

"Harry, what happened?" Ginny stood, untangling herself from her friend and rushing toward him. There was a large stain of crimson blood on his robe, his hand was clutching his arm, the blood pooling out around his fingers. Face ashen, Harry sank to his knees just as Ginny got close enough to touch him. "Harry what happened, you have to tell me so I can help you." She could taste bile in the back of her throat, it burned in her nose. She swallowed it back, trying to keep her cool. For all she knew he'd only been bleeding this badly for a few minutes, _or hours, she silently cursed herself for those thoughts. _

"It's not me," he gulped brokenly for air,, his eyes glazing in and out of focus. It was that realization that brought Ginny back to earth. 

"What do you mean it's not you Harry?" anything to keep him talking, focused and conscious. Ginny pulled out her wand and pulled Harry's hand off his arm wound. It was a deep gash; the pungent aura of Dark Arts magic surrounding it invaded Ginny's senses and caused her head to swim momentarily. Taking a deep, hollow breath she set to work cleansing it, she knew they would need to get up to the tower in order for it to be stitched properly and even then it would never heal scar less, the weapon that had inflicted it obviously cursed with such a result in mind. 

"Draco, he needs you up stairs. They found the missing one." Harry's blood loss made him nearly incoherent. 

"Who did they find Harry?" much to Ginny's annoyance Hermione broke into their conversation.

"The missing one." That was all he could say before his eyes rolled back and Ginny swore, catching his dead weight. 

"Hermione, get that stretcher down here now!" Ginny commanded curtly, too many thoughts running through her head at once. Harry had passed out from blood loss, so she quickly ripped at her robe and fashioned a make shift turnkey to stop the blood, there was a patient up in the tower who needed her as well. _Here's the stretcher, and Draco? _Ginny and the tall blond man placed Harry onto the stretcher and began their ascent to the tower. 

Draco had certainly filled out well, battle musculature agreed with him. His eyes were still the cold, hard grey but now they looked down at Harry with something closer to concern than to the contempt that used to fill them. His presences made her feel extremely nauseous, and Ginny guessed it was the Dark Mark he would have burned into his skin. He and Hermione were having a curt conversation; on what subject Ginny had no idea, trying to block out the effects of the magic enough to help Harry. Finally she could turn her head and walk at the same time, without her stomach convulsing and bile filling her mouth. 

"Draco," even to her own ears she sounded harsh. "Who's up there? Harry kept mumbling about a missing person needing my help." She was gulping for air again. Draco looked at her and seemed to realize the effect he was having on her, he put a few steps between them before speaking.

"You have a bad reaction to Dark Arts just like Harry, don't you?" it was an observation more than a question, so Ginny just nodded curtly, her stomach calming a bit with the distance. She could practically taste the magic which surrounded Draco, it was better with the distance, but only just. "It's Snape, we found him on the field, and Harry insisted we bring him here, no matter the security risks." Draco looked at her oddly, and Hermione made an odd sound somewhere behind her.

"What's wrong with him?" Hermione asked the question before Ginny could.

"Not quite sure to be honest, there's no blood that I could find, but he definitely looked badly hurt." Draco looked thoughtful for a moment before going on, this time more quietly and not facing Hermione. "I think he's broken his neck, his head was set on a funny angle. Harry and I were careful when moving him; I just hope we haven't damaged him farther." He looked quickly in Hermione's direction, and managed to do it in a way that she never even noticed, too deep in her own thoughts maybe. _Wow, he's good; it's no wonder why Harry trusts him not to get caught. _

"I won't be able to tell anything until I've run all the tests." Ginny said noncommittally. Ginny saw Draco nod quickly, shoved his hands into his pockets and waited a beat for Hermione to catch up. They talked softly, Ginny guessed about Snape, and where they had found him, more importantly what he'd been doing while he was gone. 

They reached the tower, and once again Ginny was nearly bowled over by the strength of the magic in the room, she stumbled, and both Hermione and Draco rushed forwards to steady her.

"Easy there," Draco drawled. Hermione looked concerned but Ginny shook it all off.

"Where is he?" her inner medi-witch took over, assessing and then taking control of the situation. 

Ginny chewed her lower lip, forcing herself to concentrate on the tests she was running and not on the fuss Harry was making about taking the Sanguine potion. _He's not even fully conscious and Hermione and Ron can't get him to take it. Ginny smiled to herself. There were a number of badly broken and even shattered bones in Snape's body, thankfully his neck was not one of them, his collar bone, elbow, knee, four ribs and jaw were all badly damaged. _

"All right we need to give him a full bottle of Skele-grow, and then monitor that the bones are set right, this elbow is about as useful as a legless frog, we'll have to make sure it forms right, constant scanning will be necessary." Ginny was only half talking to her team, she was also running a constant self-checking list of what needed to be done.

"You'll be up all the night then?" Bill and Charlie had managed to get back with their teams and now stood with Draco outside the screen, eager to speak with Professor Snape. _I wonder if he's still a Professor, it's hard to be a Professor when there is no longer a school to teach at. I'm sure he is still well qualified to be a Professor and all, so maybe we can continue to call him that. I wonder if it's like those muggle Doctors, once a doctor you always get to be addressed as Doctor, I'd be Doctor Weasley. I like the sound of that. Maybe I should make them all call me doctor, I'm more than qualified to be one …_Ginny quickly hauled herself back to reality when her patient began to stir, moaning loudly. Hermione gasped at the sound, and rushed to his side.

"Severus, Severus, please wake up. I know it hurts pet, but you have to be strong and open your eyes for me. It's me Hermione, I'm here I'm with you. Bill brought you back to me, Bill and Harry and Draco. We're all very eager to see you, please Severus." The look on Hermione's face brought Ginny back to fighting off tears, but what pushed her over the edge was the look in her brother's eyes. Ron looked ready to die, right there, like he would just curl up into a ball and die. 

"_Pet," Ginny heard him mutter under his breath, before he walked quickly out of the room. It was all Ginny could do from chasing after him, or hitting Hermione and sending her out after him. __They're going to have to work that out for themselves. They too are grown-ups, you don't like it when Ron interferes with Harry so don't you start in with 'Mione. _

"He'll be ok now. Don't try to wake him 'Mione, he needs to sleep for the potion to work. Besides if he wakes up now, he'll be in agony so just leave him be. You too guys, let Professor Snape be for the night. Unless you don't think he'll be safe, in that case we'll send up on e of George's boys to watch him." Ginny had reverted to bossing everyone around when faced with an awkward moment. _Blimey I'm like Mum sometimes. Bill and Charlie will never let me live this down, I can see it in their eyes. They can be so daft - did they not notice Ron stalk out? urgh! _"Help me move Harry one of you, we can't have him wake up here, or worry the other patients when they wake up and he's here. I'll stay with him in his proper quarters." Ginny wanted to giver Hermione and Ron a head start, and needed a distraction for the other men. She decided half way through saying it that it was even a good idea, for something meant simply as a distraction. Ginny was glad to note when they got into the hall Hermione and Ron were walking together towards his quarters. 

                                    ***********************************

She was finally alone again with her thoughts. It had taken her ages to clear her brothers and Draco out of Harry's room so that he could rest, and so could she. Now she sat beside him in his bed, _our bed, and watched as the potion restored the flush to his face. Running her hand through his hair, she marveled at its unruly curls, the way its ebony colour caught the soft candle light. She touched his nose, his strong check bones, and ever so gently kissed his lips. Ginny picked up his hand, and stroked the back of it, the way he sometimes had done to hers before the war, when he thought no one would notice. She smiled softly at that thought, all the other small things he'd done before the war tore him to emotional pieces. He'd never been demonstrative in public, but Harry picked up on the little things that mattered, how she liked her tea and that she took her coffee in another way entirely. The fact that Ginny hated roses thought they were tacky, and much preferred violets, and that she enjoyed the sent of a muggle perfume, L'Air de Temps, more than anything that could be bought in Diagon alley. She reached out and lightly traced his scar, the jagged bolt that pained him, marked him as The Boy Who Lived. _The Boy I Love is a better title for Mr. Harry Potter. _It was a constant reminder of the pressure he was under to perform, that he was their world's last hope at peace. It also reminded Ginny of their bond, the pain they both felt almost constantly these days._

"Hey," Harry whispered sleepily, reaching up and removing her hand from his scar. He was a bit bleary eyed, but Ginny smiled back, relieved that he was awake, and going to be ok.

"Hullo luv," she cooed at him, "how long have you been awake?" Harry looked up at her through half closed lids.

"A while. I like your hand in my hair, don't stop." He was very quiet, and she had to lean closer to hear him.

"Of course luv," Ginny chuckled softly to herself. They stayed like that for some time, Ginny enthralled by the feel of his hair, and Harry just lying still looking up at her.

"Stop staring at me Harry, I feel like I must have some food left on my face." Ginny fussed with her hair and face for a minute, before Harry grabbed her hand for the second time that night.

"That would require you having eaten something today – Stop fussing." He interrupted himself and pulled Ginny closer so that she was no longer sitting beside him, but draped across his chest, her face tucked into his collar bone.

"Hi," Ginny smiled at him.

"Hi," he just smiled right back at her. "Stay like this with me tonight?" he sounded so unsure, the look of calm gone from his eyes, replaced by the worry she had seen all too often.

"Of course, I'm not going anywhere. At least not tonight." Ginny sighed and snuggled into his chest farther. She closed her eyes and breathed in his scent, and thought she would be content to stay like that forever. 

"Not ever." Harry said, and squeezed her with his good arm. 

Ginny smiled at that, _he must be almost asleep. _

"Shh Harry, you need to sleep." But she reached up and kissed his jaw line. 

"Not ever," he repeated, before his breath fell into the steady rhythm of sleep.


End file.
